Laboratory Report

Experiment: 6
Nozzle Performance Test

Rashu Raj 20AE10029

Department of Aerospace Engineering,

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
2 April 2023
Prof. S Karmakar
Aim:
Using the Jet velocity and Jet reaction method, study the nozzle efficiency and
specific thrust for convergent and convergent-divergent nozzles.

Apparatus:
1. Convergent Nozzle and Convergent-Divergent Nozzle
2. Pressure Gauges
3. Rotameter
4. Thermometers
5. Valves
6. Micrometer Screw

Experimental Setup:
Procedure:
Jet Velocity Method:
1. Opening the chamber pressure control valve while closing the air inlet control
valve.
2. Ensuring that the impact head was properly attached to the cantilever, with
clean connections and a functioning battery.
3. Generating a load/deflection graph for the cantilever and verifying that the
micrometer dial was zeroed correctly.
4. Withdrawing the nozzle mounting sleeve, unscrewing the knurled nut at the
upper right corner of the chamber, and fitting nozzle 1.
5. Setting the nozzle inlet pressure at a constant value of 700 kPa with the
chamber pressure control valve fully open and adjusting the micrometer screw
until the voltmeter read within 0.5 V for optimal sensitivity.
6. Checking the pressures, temperatures, air flow rate, and dial reading.
7. Varying the chamber pressure to 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 650 kPa
while maintaining the same inlet pressure.
8. Change the nozzle to the CD nozzle and repeat the above steps.

Jet Reaction Method:

1. Closing the chamber pressure control valve and fully open the air intake valve.
2. Rotate the micrometer screw to lower the contacts completely.
3. Removing the cantilever and impact head and replacing the nozzle by
screwing it in and unscrewing the nuts at the left end of the chamber.
4. Removing the sleeve from the chamber's upper fitting and attaching the
provided deflector.
5. Turning the diverter valve to the left to provide compressed air to the end of
the cantilever.
6. Setting the inlet pressure to 700 kN/m² and zeroing the micrometer dial with
the chamber pressure control valve fully open.
7. Increasing the chamber pressure with the same inlet pressure and taking
readings.
8. Changing the nozzle and repeating the entire process.
 Observations:
Jet Velocity:
1. Convergent Nozzle:
Actual
Back Inlet
Pressure Dial Mass Velocity Velocity
Pressure Mass Force Efficiency
Ratio Reading Flow(g s- Measured Theoretical
(kPa) Flow
1)
0 0.12718205 15.8 83 0.36 3.45833333 94.68 577.595524 610.0501939
100 0.25187032 15.8 71 0.36 2.95833333 95.03 510.373516 537.0656803
200 0.3765586 16.3 60 0.36 2.5 93.23 432.4984 463.9047517
300 0.50124688 16 49 0.36 2.04166667 91.58 355.176177 387.8315971
400 0.62593516 16 39 0.36 1.625 89.44 292.545701 327.0859805
500 0.75062344 15.8 28 0.36 1.16666667 88.45 214.707004 242.7439275
600 0.87531172 12 15 0.29 0.625 87.11 126.718355 145.4693545
650 0.93765586 6.4 5 0.19 0.20833333 88.97 80.9265043 90.95931693

2. CD Nozzle:
Back
Pressure Indicated Dial Actual Mass Velocity Velocity
Pressure Force Efficiency
Ratio Mass Flow Reading Flow(g s-1) Measured Theoretical
(kPa)
0 0.12718205 16 81 0.37 3.375 87.66 534.77 610.0501939
100 0.25187032 16 73 0.37 3.04166667 89.22 479.17 537.0656803
200 0.3765586 15.8 63 0.36 2.625 92.81 430.55 463.9047516
300 0.50124688 15.8 55 0.36 2.29166667 93.11 361.11 387.831597
400 0.62593516 14.9 42 0.35 1.75 94.44 308.9 327.0859805
500 0.75062344 12.6 27 0.3 1.125 97.16 235.85 242.7439275
600 0.87531172 7.8 11 0.22 0.45833333 98.22 142.88 145.4693545
650 0.93765586 5.8 7 0.18 0.29166667 99.55 90.55 90.95931693
Jet Reaction:
1. Convergent Nozzle:
Actual
Back Pressure Pressure Inlet Mass Dial Specific
Mass Force
(kPa) Ratio Flow Reading Thrust
Flow(g s-1)
0 0.12718205 15.6 83 6.84 3.45833333 505.60429
100 0.25187032 15.8 76 6.84 3.16666667 462.96296
200 0.3765586 16.2 67 6.84 2.79166667 408.1384
300 0.50124688 16 57 6.84 2.375 347.22222
400 0.62593516 15.5 45 6.69 1.875 280.26906
500 0.75062344 13.3 30 6.12 1.25 204.24837
600 0.87531172 7.9 11 4.22 0.45833333 108.60979
650 0.93765586 5.2 10 3.57 0.41666667 116.71335

2. CD Nozzle:
Actual
Back Pressure Pressure Inlet Mass Dial Specific
Mass Force
(kPa) Ratio Flow Reading Thrust
Flow(g s-1)
0 0.12718205 15.6 93 6.84 3.875 566.52047
100 0.25187032 15.7 77 6.84 3.2083333 469.05458
200 0.3765586 16.2 69 6.84 2.875 420.32164
300 0.50124688 15.5 54 6.84 2.25 328.94737
400 0.62593516 15.5 43 6.69 1.7916666 267.81266
500 0.75062344 15.4 32 6.12 1.3333333 217.86492
600 0.87531172 11.9 19 5.73 0.7916666 138.16172
650 0.93765586 6.9 12 3.86 0.5 129.53368
Discussion:
The relationship between nozzle efficiency and pressure ratio can be described as
an initial increase in efficiency followed by a peak at a certain pressure ratio, then
a decrease in efficiency as the pressure ratio continues to increase. The reason for
this behavior is the fact that each nozzle is designed to accelerate flow
isentropically. Still, there is only one isentropic solution for flow acceleration once
the flow reaches supersonic speeds. At this point, the formation of normal or
oblique shocks and expansion waves reduces efficiency, and the flow acceleration
deviates from an isentropic process. Isentropic flow only exists for one back
pressure if the flow becomes supersonic after the throat. If the exit pressure of the
flow is greater than the ambient back pressure, it can expand further via expansion
fans; if it is lesser, it needs to compress more via oblique shocks. However, too
little exit pressure results in a normal shock appearing in the divergent section of
the nozzle, which is highly non-isentropic.
When we use the isentropic enthalpy formula to calculate efficiency, we
sometimes obtain strange results, including efficiency levels above 1. This could
be because the procedure does not consider the normal component of flow velocity
after the impact on the cantilever beam or because it assumes that all the fluid
leaving the nozzle will enter the impact head, which is not necessarily the case.
Additionally, when the pressure ratio falls below 0.529 in a convergent nozzle, the
flow expands further to reach ambient pressure at the exit, resulting in the
irreversible nature of the flow and a decline in total pressure. Therefore, assuming
isentropic flow throughout the entire flow domain is incorrect.
On the other hand, as the pressure ratio is increased throughout the nozzle, the
specific thrust decreases monotonically. With a convergent nozzle, the decreasing
pressure ratio controls how quickly the flow outside will expand, and the exit
(throat) always stays at Mach 1 after being choked. The exit velocity and thrust
will determine where the shock forms inside the nozzle and whether it forms at all,
depending on the downstream pressure in the CD nozzle.